Rotating cylinder outboard motor with wedge-type piston



y 1961 J. STUCKE 2,982,272

ROTATING CYLINDER OUTBOARD MOTOR WITH WEDGE-TYPE PISTON Filed Sept 16, 1958 Sheets-Sheet l John Stucke 1 N VEN TOR.

gw v y 2, 1961 J. STUCKE 2,982,272

ROTATING CYLINDER OUTBOARD MOTOR WITH WEDGE-TYPE PISTON Filed Sept. 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CARBURETOR and E XHAUS T INTAKE and BYPASS T0 CRA/VKCASE END John .Srucke 1 N VEN TOR.

ROTATING CYLINDER OUTBOARD MOTOR WITH WEDGE-TYPE PISTON The present invention generally relates'to an outboard rnotor and more particularly an outboard motor having a rotatable cylinder together with a wedge-type piston and ,a novel arrangement of inlet and outlet ports for facilitating the operation of the motor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an outboard motor in which each of the cylinders includes a rotatable sleeve having a transverse cylinder head at one end thereof together with ignition means and a reciprocating piston having an inclined working face with there being provided longitudinally spaced ports in the sleevefor opening and closing due to rotation of the sleeve and due to reciprocation of the piston with the sleeve being rotatable in a block having a cylindrical bore therein.

V A further object of the present invention is to provide an outboard motor in accordance with the preceding ob- United Sims at ht'O a Y 2,982,272 c Patented M y 2,

nature designated by the numeral 28 between the bore 14 and the sleeve 20 for prolonging the wear of the sleeve 20 and forming a bearing surface therefor. The flanges 24 are rotatably received in recesses 30 in the block 12 and as shown in the drawings, the gear teeth 26-are in meshing engagement with each other for totation of the sleeves 20 at the same speed. A retaining 7 plate 32 ismounted in overlying relation to the flanges ject in which there is provided a novel reversing mechanism for the output shaft together with a water cooling system and novel means for driving other accessories normally provided on an outboard motor.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an outboard motor which is simple in construction, easy to operate, dependable, long lasting, eflicient in operation and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially through the center of the outboard motor of the present invention illustrating the structural details thereof and with parts shown in elevation; v

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing Figure l; p

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rotatablecylindrical sleeve employed in the outboard motor; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the piston.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the outboard motor of the present invention which includes a block or housing generally designated by the numeral 12 which includes a pair of cylindrical members or hollow bores 14 positioned alongside of each other and disposed in a vertical manner and which are integral with each other and provided with passageways 16 therein in the form of a water jacket for cooling the surfaces of the cylindrical bores 14. As shown in Figure 2 the central area between the cylindrical members 14 is also provided with a water jacket area 18 with each of the cylindrical'bores or members 14 receiving a rotatable cylindrical sleeve generally designated by the numeral 20 and including an elongated cylindrical member 22 having a peripheral flange 24 on one end thereof with the flange 24 having peripheral gear teeth 26 thereon. There is provided a bearing of a cylindrical 24 and are held in positionby fastening bolts 34. The flanges 24 also extend inwardly of the sleeve 20 and include as an integral part thereof a transverse cylinder head 36 which receives a spark plug 38 therethrough. A thrust bearing assembly 40 is disposed between the surface of the cylinder head 36 and the inner surface of the retaining plate 32 thus forming a bearing for the cylinder head 36 and taking up the thrust provided by admission of a combustible mixture within the sleeve 20. A potective cap 42 of a waterproof nature may be mounted inenclosing relation to the spark plug 38 for retaining the spark plug 38 in watertight condition so that ignition of the combustible mixture will be assured. At one end of the block 12 is a crankcase 44 having a crank shaft 46 extending horizontally therethrough and supported in bearings 48 and provided with eccentric cranks 50 and counterbalance weights 52. Mounted on each of the eccentric cranks 50 is a connecting rod'54 connected to a piston 56 through the usual wrist pin connection. The piston 56 is provided with a series of grooves 58 with rings 59 and is provided with an inclined top surface 60 and a recessed top 62. The long portion of the piston 56 is disposed outwardly in relation to the center section of the block 12 whereby the short skirt of the piston will be disposed inwardly.

One end of the crank shaft 46 is provided with a flywheel 64 and any associated equipment desired such as a starter or starter assembly, magneto or the like. The other end of the crankshaft 46 is provided with a bevel gear 66.

Disposed in perpendicular intersecting relation to the crankshaft 46 is a shaft 68 journaled in a tubular sleeve thereof which is in constant meshing engagement with the bevel gear 66. A power shaft 76 is mounted in bearings along section line 2-2 of sleeve as well as the bevel gears '92.

78 in the crankcase 44 and is in spaced alignment with the shaft 68 andcarries a bevel gear 80 on the lower end thereof which is in constant meshing engagement with the bevel gear 66 in opposition to the gear 74. Both of the gears 74 and 80 are provided'with a plurality of axially extending pins 82 thereon for receiving one set of a pair of sets of radial pins 'or projections 84 on the shaft 68 whereby longitudinal sliding movement of the shaft 68 is effected by a shift lever 86 having a pivot support 88 and a terminal loop end 90 engaged between the sets of projections 84 whereby sliding movement of the shaft 68 will effect rotation of the shaft 68 in one rotational direction or the other'rotational direction thereby providing for reversing of the power output shaft 68. The shaft 76 is continuously rotated and may be used for driving a waterpump or any similar accessory. The sleeve 70 is constantly rotatable and is provided with a bevel gear 92 on the lower end thereof for meshing engagement with a bevel gear 94 employed for driving an oil pump (not shown).

A hollow housing 96 extends downwardly from one end of the block 12 and receives the lower end of the Rotatably mounted in bearings 96 is a stub hollow shaft 100 slid ably receiving the'splined lower end 102 of the shaft 68 for driving a bevel gear 104 on the lower end thereof which is in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 106 having a propeller shaft 108 driven thereby with a propeller 110 thereon. A pair of projecting lugs 112 on the block 12 receives a supporting shaft 114 to which any suitable bolt clamp may be attached for mounting the outboard motor assembly on the transom of an outboard motor boat. Also, the front of the housing 96 is provided with a cup-shaped member 116 forming a scoop for water with a tubular pipe 118 communicated with the cupshaped member 116 and communicated with the water jackets in the block for providing for circulation, of water through the water jacket in the block. Also, an exhaust conduit 120 extends downwardly from the exhaust of the cylinders and terminates above the propeller 110 whereby the action of the propeller 110 will tend to evacuate the exhaust from the exhaust pipe 120.

As clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the cylindrical sleeve 22 is provided with a pair of'longitudinally spaced and aligned apertures designated by the numerals 122 and 124 respectively for alignment with passageways 126 and 128 in. the block 12 with the passageways 126 being disposed with one set of passageways for registry with the opening 122 and another set of passageways for registry with anopening 124. I

The crankcase is also provided with an inlet opening therein in which there is mounted a reed type carburetor for supplying a fuel, lubricating oil and air mixture to the crankcase which is communicated through a bypass to the intake passageway 123 which feeds both of the cylinders thereby supplying an oil and gas mixture as fuel and the exhaust ports 126 are common to both cylinders for discharge of combustion products. The pistons are in relation to each other so that when one piston is on full compression the other piston is on full exhaust thus providing a four cycle motor which employs an oil and gas mixture normally employed in two cycle motor construction. The wedge shape or inclined upper end of the piston serves to form a seal for the intake combustion charge on the compression stroke with the piston being in the relation to the aperture or ports within the revolving sleeve so that the same will be sealed off. This construction also satisfies the object of providing the intake gas from a carburetor fitted with reeds or ports and mounted on the crankcase with the back side of the pistons being used to draw in a fresh charge of air and gas from the carburetor through the reeds or ports into the crankcase. The back part of the pistons pressure will then be used to force the fresh trapped charge from the crankcase through the lower aperture in the revolving cylinder to the common intake manifold serving both cylinders which will provide a means whereby the induced suction of either piston at the time of the fresh induced charge into either cylinder will be aided by thepressure from the back of the piston.

The sleeves 20 are rotatedtby a gear 71 attached to the tubular sleeve 70 for unidirectional rotation of the individual sleeves 20 regardless of the direction of rotation of the propeller 110. a

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modification and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a block having a cylinder, a rotatable cylindrical sleeve in said cylinder, a crankshaft, a piston in said sleeve, a connecting rod connecting the piston to the crankshaft whereby reciprocation of the piston in the sleeve will cause rotation of the crankshaft, means for supporting said block, said cylindrical sleeve being rotated in timed relation to the reciprocation of the piston, said block having an inlet port and an exhaust port, said cylindrical sleeve having a transverse cylinder head at one end thereof, a pair of longitudinally spaced openings in the sleeve for admitting a combustible mixture through the sleeve and discharging the combustion products therefrom, ignition means communicating with the interior of said sleeve for igniting the combustible mixture therein, said piston being provided with an inclined inner end for acting as a seal for the intake port during compression of the combustible mixture.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein a power shaft is driven from said crankshaft, said power shaft drivingly connected to said sleeve for rotation of said sleeve about its longitudinal axis.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said block is provided with a crankcase which encloses the crankshaft, said crankcase adapted to be equipped with a carburetor for supplying a combustible mixture to the crankcase whereby the backstroke of the piston will cause pressure to be exerted into the crankcase, and means communicating the crankcase with the intake port for admitting the combustible mixture into the area between the piston and cylinder head.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said motor includes a pair of cylinders each having a rotatable cylindrical sleeve and a piston slidably disposed in each sleeve,

.said pistons being operatively connected to said crankshafts for like movement in said sleeves with said sleeves rotated relative to each other so that the positioning of one piston at the end of the exhaust stroke will position the other piston at the end of the compression stroke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,076,953 Claus Oct. 28, 1913 1,094,779 Cunningham Apr. 28, 1914 1,096,683 Clough May 12, 1914 1,121,682 Snell Dec. 22, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS 301,246 Great Britain Nov. 29, 1928 

